Physical Dimensions of Counseling: Perspective for the Helping Professions

Fifteen graduate students in the helping professions registered in a course that teaches helpers to use physical fitness as a counseling medium. The enrolled graduate students were matched with controls in four relevant areas, and both groups were pretested on 7 physiological and 11 psychological variables. The experimental students were given a 10-week treatment of physical fitness training, counseling in health habits, a life-style of well-being, and instruction in how to deliver these kinds of treatments to clients. For eight weeks the students used the skills in working with real clients. The experimental and control groups were posttested on the same variables; and multivariate and univariate analyses revealed significantly positive changes made by the experimental group. This article reports implications for graduate programs in the helping professions.     

A Study of Change in Perception of Self and Ideal Self

A Q-sort was used to examine the self-percepts and ideal self-percepts held by counselors-in-training at the beginning and end of a quarter in which they received formal instruction. The aim was to determine the change, if any, as a result of instruction over this period of time. The results indicate no significant difference or change in perceptions of self and ideal self. The high level of congruence between and among the sorts suggests a measure of adjustment by the counselors-in-training. Several interpretations of the relationships are offered.     

DETECTING IMPACTS OF CURRICULAR DIFFERENCES IN ACHIEVEMENT TEST DATA

Standardized tests are designed to measure broad goals. But many professionals have been concerned with the lack of fairly specific matches between items (or objectives) on a test and the curriculum (instruction). This study assessed the differences in standardized test scores resulting from curricular differences in two school systems. The degree of curriculum-test match for reading and math in grades 3 and 6 was based on ratings of that match by qualified district personnel. Further, results of using different textbook series were analyzed. The dependent variables of test and subtest scores were analyzed using a two-factor MANCOVA where textbook series and school personnel ratings were the two factors, and pretest scores and percent eligible for Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) were the covariates. None of the multivariate F tests were significant at the .05 level. It was concluded that neither the curricular match as judged by district personnel or the textbook series used had a significant impact on standardized test scores.     

Professional Identity: Effects on Evaluation of Helper Effectiveness

The purpose of this study was to examine the ability of guidance counselors, rehabilitation counselors, and social workers accurately to distinguish low-, medium-, and high-functioning helpers when the helpers were identified as being from the participants' own or the other two professions. One hundred eight graduate students, 36 from each of the three disciplines, were asked to rate a standard series of 28 interaction sets on total level of functioning. These interaction sets differed only in helper identity and level of functioning. A three-way analysis of variance was conducted, the variables being professional identity- of the rater, professional identity of the helper, and helper's level of functioning. Results showed that significant main effects were accounted for by helper's level of functioning rather than helper's professional identity. Implications for training and supervision of students are discussed, and recommendations are made for future research.     

Incorporation of Computer Algebra into an Undergraduate Course in Open Channel Hydraulics

Modern computer algebra systems have wide-ranging mathematical capabilities and user-friendly interfaces, which make them ideal tools for research and education. To demonstrate the applications of computer algebra for teaching, this paper reports on its successful incorporation into a senior, undergraduate, civil engineering course in open-channel hydraulics. Computer algebra is particularly useful for this course, since many hydraulics problems are non-linear and have traditionally required laborious solution techniques. The advanced capabilities of computer algebra systems also make them ideal tools for the design of hydraulic structures.     

Exercise,plasma catecholamine concentrations and decision-making performance of soccer players on a soccer-specific test

The main aim of this study was to compare the decision-making performance of college soccer players on a soccer-specific, tachistoscopically presented test, at rest and while exercising at their adrenaline threshold and at their maximum power output. These were determined following an incremental test to exhaustion on a cycle ergometer. After the initial maximum power test, participants (n= 9) were allowed 10 habituation trials on the soccer decision-making test. Participants' decision-making performance was tested at rest, while cycling at a power output that had previously been determined to elicit their adrenaline threshold and while cycling at maximum power output. Accuracy and speed of decision were the dependent variables. A one-way repeated measures analysis of variance showed no significant effect of exercise on accuracy, and showed speed of decision to be significantly affected by exercise. Tukey post-hoc tests showed that speed of decision at rest was significantly slower than in the other two conditions, which did not differ significantly from one another. Based on allocatable resources theories of arousal and performance, we conclude that the adrenaline threshold may be indicative of increases in the resources available to the individual. Furthermore, we considered that exercise at maximum power output may only induce a moderate rather than a high level of arousal.     

“Look Out for the Football Players and the Frat Boys”: Autoethnographic Reflections of a Gay Teacher in a Gay Curricular Experience

This article draws upon the history of teacher education to provide an introduction to 4 competing pedagogical philosophies. These 4 philosophies battled for control over curriculum for teachers during the period from 1890 to 1930. I begin by defining curriculum for teachers to include the liberal, the professional, and the experiential dimensions. Then, I identify 4 interest groups that sought to gain power over curriculum for teachers. I categorize these interest groups as the traditionalists, the integrationists, the technicians, and the romantics. Then, I explain how leading individuals from each interest group answered questions regarding human nature, the purpose of schooling, and curriculum for teachers. Finally, I argue that education schools should revitalize the integrationist tradition within pedagogical philosophy. This view has been forgotten for nearly 50 years, and the profession of teaching has suffered because of it.